Thread

I was building a website that would function like Foursquare but was very niche. Let’s just say the niche was Bingo, just to have a point of reference. The site (and eventual mobile app) would help users locate Bingo games, check in at games and stay in contact with friends/players, track ranks, winnings, etc..

I now think that this idea would not take off fast enough even though the actual niche that I have in mind have millions of followers.

I am trying to come up with a website or product idea but every dang thing has been done. Everything… I even thought about getting into recycling cardboard or other items into new products but this has even been done to death.

Of course we all like to keep our most precious business ideas to ourselves but I think a little brainstorming on some basic ideas would benefit us all.

Example: One of my latest website ideas was raffling, but I soon discovered that this is the same as gambling or a lottery and is illegal. Imagine, thousands of people buying a 1 dollar ticket online to win an IPAD or something. You would be a millionaire in no time and the web development would be extremely simple.

So, any ideas…..???

Lotteries are legal in the UK with the proper license. Same as Bingo.

Some ideas i’ve been playing with:

Timeline wiki - there’s no good place on the web to learn the history of something, like anything. It would be great to search for “Tennis” and get a complete timeline of the history of tennis. You could drill down to “Roger Federer” and get his life timeline. Like wikipedia but emphasis on timelines.

A website to match dog breeders with dog buyers - has been done but not very well.

A casual game that lets you win real cash - like farmville, card game, angry birds but with the chance to bet. These count as skill based games and so are legal in the US and UK.

Multiplayer casino - like a normal online casino but instead one person is the house and the other is the player. So no real house edge (would require some rule changes to make it fair, like no 0 on the roulette).

Thinking of new business ideas is easy, it’s the execution that’s difficult.

Aaron,

Yes, thinking of ideas are easy and in my opinion execution is also easy as long as you believe in the idea. However, thinking of a great idea that no one has though of or done to death yet, is very hard.

I had an idea for collar stiffs that are flexible and magnetic so your dress shirt collar stays up but this was already done, I had an idea for a plastic card the size of a credit card that could fit in your wallet but it was actually a spork (fork and spoon), this also was done.

Execution is difficult when it comes to manufacturing thing like electronics but websites are a snap. I have a great idea for a product that keeps kids from running in the house but having a prototype manufactured than mass producing would cost way too much for me.

I agree to mabright. So if you plan on something make sure you do for sure. Don’t hesitate to make a move.

Yeah mabright, I do hate when that happens. Maybe you should consider finding an idea which you think you can improve and do it better. Sometimes this is better than trying to find a brand new idea because you already know there is a market for it, and with it ready buyers.

I don’t believe there are no ideas left. New technologies are being invented all the time, you gotta be able to take the initiative and use them for creative new business opportunities. All too often people wait until the the technology becomes mainstream to take notice, then it’s too late. Examples are mobile apps, location based services (foursquare, google latitude), facebook apps. Of course you can still make money with those platforms but finding breakthroughs becomes harder. Upcoming technologies? 3D displays, HTML 5, Chrome App store? I’d love to see a HTML 5 Studio on par with Adobe’s Flash IDE.

Anyone else have any ideas?

Aaron,
I have a great idea for a product that keeps kids from running in the house but having a prototype manufactured than mass producing would cost way too much for me.

Alas Duct tape is already out there, mate 😊

All joking aside I feel your pain.
It might not be somthing new that you need to invent. You can take an existing business idea and do it better

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well, all got some great ideas. :D

Google never had the original idea but have done quite well with their implementation. CodeIgniter, Facebook and many more have managed to produce a niche market. I think successful projects are helped with marketing and product quality.
 
 

Yes, thinking of ideas are easy and in my opinion execution is also easy as long as you believe in the idea. However, thinking of a great idea that no one has though of or done to death yet, is very hard.

just it.